Trump Campaign Collusion with Russia in its Interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election

Michael Flynn’s Activities and Connections to Russia

In February 2014, Michael Flynn, then director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, met Russian–British grad student and historian Svetlana Lokhova on a trip to Cambridge, UK. Lokhova claimed to have unique access to previously classified Soviet-era material in Moscow, including Russia’s military spy agency GRU. Flynn and Lokhova remained in contact via unclassified email, where Flynn signed off as “General Misha,” Russian for Mike. Lokhova listed Flynn as one of four referees who would endorse her book about Russian spies who penetrated the US atomic weapons program. Flynn failed to disclose his conversations and relationship with Lokhova to the US government as part of his security clearance renewal applications. Source

In April 2014, Michael Flynn was forced out of the Defense Intelligence Agency for poor management, and became a contributor to Russia Today (RT), a Russian government-controlled English language news channel. Source

Michael Flynn on RT

In October 2014, Michael Flynn founded Flynn Intel Group, a lobbying company. In response to an ethical inquiry he sent to the US Army regarding the new company, the Army replied laying out the details of the statutory implementation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause, clearly prohibiting him from engaging in business with foreign governments. Source

In the Summer of 2015, Michael Flynn received $11,250 from Russian cargo airline Volga-Dnepr Airlines, a company under UN scrutiny for bribery by two Russian officials serving at the UN. Source

In June 2015, Michael Flynn traveled to the Middle East to promote the Marshall Plan, a joint US-Russian, Saudi Arabian-financed program to build nuclear reactors in the Arab world. Source (PDF) Flynn was paid at least $25,000 to promote the plan. Source Although he failed to disclose this trip as part of his security clearance renewal applications, Flynn would continue to promote this project throughout his time with the Trump campaign, and as National Security Advisor. Source

In October 2015, Michael Flynn received $11,250 from Kaspersky Government Security Solutions, founded by Eugene Kaspersky, long suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence services, and having studied cryptography at a school run by the KGB and Soviet Defense Ministry, and later working for the Russian Military. Source

On December 10, 2015, Michael Flynn traveled to Moscow on behalf of Russian government-controlled news agency Russia Today (RT), receiving more than $45,000 (plus airfare, accommodations, and expenses for him and his son) to deliver a speech at a gala where he famously sat next to Vladimir Putin for dinner. Source

Flynn and Putin at RT Anniversary Gala

Discussion

Michael Flynn had not only worked directly for several Russian companies, and had a close relationship with Russian national Svetlana Lokhova, but he was additionally actively working as an agent of the Turkish government through the campaign and into his time in Trump’s cabinet. After these facts were later revealed, Flynn would later be forced register as a foreign agent. Source